The Palestinian resistance under the Joint Operations Room’s leadership announced the implementation of a joint maneuver that brings together the 14 factions of the resistance. It was given the name ‘Ar-Rukn As-Shadid’ (‘the Powerful Support’; referring to the verse in surah Hud).

The maneuver has taken place at the same time of the 12^th anniversary of the 2008-2009 aggression on the Palestinian people; the Arab-Israeli normalization wave, the greatest stab in the heart of the Palestinian cause; and the Arab countries’ work to terminate the Palestinian cause and the resistance’ military factions.

The maneuver also aimed to unite the efforts of all armed Palestinian resistance factions under one united leadership ‘the Joint Operations Room’.

Ar-Rukn As-Shadid maneuver displayed several armed drills. The spokesperson of Al-Quds Brigades initiated the events firing test rockets at the sea. The drills included a naval landing of Israeli navy units, the explosion of several military vehicles, the incursion of cities replicating the Israeli settlements along the Gaza Strip and flight of drones that belong to the Palestinian resistance among others.

Insight of the Situation

Ar-Rukn As-Shadid maneuver aims to set bases for the conflict. These are

• Affirming that the Palestinian resistance factions are united to the Palestinian people, the Israeli occupation and the normalizing Arab countries.
• Showing the PA that the solution of the Palestinian cause can only be reached through the unity of the people and their containment of the resistance.
• Telling the occupation that the Arab-Israeli normalization will remain fruitless and the Palestinian resistance will continue to be stand up to the enemies of Palestine.

Some Israeli military analysts commented on the resistance’ maneuver saying that Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, was the one behind it and shouldered Hamas the responsibility of anything that leaves that Gaza Strip. The maneuver also led to creating fear of the Palestinian resistance’ assets should a military confrontation take place.

Possible Scenarios

• The unity of the Palestinian resistance’ effort inside the Joint Operations Room under Al-Qassam’s leadership, which is due to the weakness of other military factions. Al-Qassam is considered the key player among the other armed Palestinian factions, and it has the largest military arsenal in comparison to other factions inside the Gaza Strip. There will be formal joint operations which will activate the psychological war as a tool in any coming aggression.
• The unity of the Palestinian resistance’ effort inside the Joint Operations Room under Al-Qassam’s leadership and actual execution of joint operations should the occupation carry out an aggression on the Palestinian people.

The first scenario is the most likely to happen since it is the closest to the status quo.